COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 652, 3 April 1867, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Times Oeeice, . Tuesday Evening. The following are the Customs Returns for—

By the arrival of the Tararua, from Melbourne, ■we are placed in possession of later Australian dates. The " Argus "of the 28th inst says :— This being mail day, there was less activity perceptible in the import markets, and, with some exceptional transactions, operations, have not been ,o£ much account. In breadstuffs, we note sales of Victorian flour, at £11 10s. Feeding grains attract considerable notice, higher rates being paid for oata. A parcel of 4,000 bushels of Tasmanian changed hands in a line at 3s 3d. Inquiries for barley still continue ; a line of about 10,000 busheb has been placed at a price sustaining the higher rates now required. Maize is rather firmer, and as the. market is again bare of stock, holders of sound parcels ask 3s 9d. There is only one. cargo of Clarence River maize known to D 9on % the way for this port at present, . and it is ex-' pected the current price will be maintained. Sales of rice, in . trade parcels, are mentioned at £28 10s. In sugar we hear of sales at £38 to £39 for brewers' brown crystals. A fair enquiry for teas for trade purposes is reported ; low medium congous have been placed at Is 5d to Is 6d ; 200 half-chests of good mediums were emitted at Is 9d, and we hear of some 200 chests'of the Albert Victor's teas having been disposed of at Is 7*d, all in bond. Provisions are dealt in to a moderate extent ; a shipment of Varey's hams, the last of the season, has been placed to arrive at 14id, all faults. A shipment of 100 cases of ling has been quitted at 4£d, a decline on late rates. Candles are somewhat steadier ; since the publication of the stocks in bond, attention Has been directed to the extent of deliveries for the month, and more confidence has, in consequence, been imparted to holders. A demand for dark brandies has led to the sale of equal to forty hhds. of Hennessy's on private terms. The "Hobart Town Mercury" of the 25th ult., commences its commercial summary for England with the following remarks : — " The opening of the autumn season has led to a slight improvement in general business during the month, and trade has been rather brisker than for several mouths past. Still, our tradesman are extremely cautious in their operations, and transactions are confined strictly to the supply of immediate wants. The country trade has scarcely been so extensive as in the corresponding seasons of former years, and this notwithstanding the fact that harvesting operations and works have been actively progressing. The harvest throughout the colony has been a most bountiful one, but the price now ruling is not considered by our farmers a very remunerative one. On the northern side of the island railway works are being pushed forward, and provide a large amount of employment for our laborers. "We have had but one English arrival during the month — viz., the Ella Gladstone, . brig — which brings a general cargo, consigned partly to this port and partly to Invereargill, Few Zealand. ! Her arrival supplies our market with a few articles which were scarce ; but consignments to this port by her are insignificant. Eormer arri- j vals supplied most Tasmanian wants for the autumn and winter-sea3ons, and intermediate requirements will be made up by Melbourne importers, or by indents received through that port." Our Launceston fP.es aro to the 26th ultimo. The " Examiner " reports as to the markets as j follows : — " The corn market is somewhat more brisk than usual. Large parcels of wheat are brought in for storage and sale, and we have heard of several transactions, but 33 9d i 3 now the ruling price ; we have not heard of a single sale above this lately ; 4s was maintained as long as two of our leading houses were laying in stock, but sinco their demands have been satisfied the price has fallen 3d. In the middle of June last, wheat was 6s 2cl per bushel, and Adelaide wheat is now over 4s. It is therefore impossible to conceive of any safer investment. Without exaggeration, there is a promise of a return of twenty- five per cent, in the course of six months. It is, therefore, hard to understand how wheat should be so low ; the only way to account for it is by the supposition that money is scarce. Oats are now 2s 6d, and other quotations as follows : — Shai'ps, at £6 10s ; grass seed, 5a per bushel ; rye, 5s 6d ; flour from £9 103 to £L 0 ; bran £5 ; pollard, £5 ; potatoes, £3 to £3 103, without bags ; hay, £2 10s to £2 12s 6d; fresh butter, Is 2d ; potted do, lOd ; eggs, Is Id to Is 2d ; Caps bailey, 3s 6d ; oatmeal, £2i per ton."

Tuesday, April 2. Tobacco, 9001bs ... " £112 10 0 Geneva, 125 galls ... 81 3 9 Brandy, 28 galls. ... ..-16.16 0 Beer, 50 galls 2 10 0 Tea, 252 lbs 6 6 0. Drapery. 10 .-7 11 Su"-ar, 1200 lbs ... 5 5 0. Wine, 8 galls ... ... 112 0; £236 10 8